Editorial

New year, new looks for your home

By Mike Croxall, president, Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanoog

Feeling inspired to rejuvenate your home? Even if you’re not ready to move walls or build an addition, you can still breathe some new life into what you have. Here are a few easy updates you can do to make your house seem instantly new to you.

Paint a room’s trim: Refresh your main living space by painting the trim. Crisp baseboards and moldings go a long way to revitalizing the whole room. Bright white is a classic color that will complement any décor style.

Replace or recover a piece of furniture: Even one new living room chair or a reupholstered love seat can refresh a room’s look. A new coffee table or area rug will also help change a room’s appearance and serve as a new focal point.

Or, even without new furnishings or upholstery, rearranging a seating group to face a different direction can breathe new life into the room. Consider hanging a wall mirror to create the sense of additional space around a cozy grouping of furniture.

Add fresh accessories: Pillows and throws can quickly change a room’s style by adding vibrant colors or calming neutrals, while also enhancing warmth and comfort. Ceiling-to-floor length drapes hung just outside a window’s width seem to expand the room up and out.

Make your home a little smarter: With a variety of economical smart-home hubs to choose from, it’s easier than ever to take that first step into the world of smart-home living. Look for a hub with do-it-yourself setup and no monthly fees.

Download a free app, buy a few compatible light bulbs and a smart outlet strip, and you’ll soon be able to remotely control several appliances within your home. From there, consider a smart deadbolt, garage door opener, home security system and/or thermostat.

Give a small bathroom a new character: Bright-colored walls or bold wallpaper patterns can really make a small bathroom pop. Colors and patterns that would be overwhelming in a larger room work like a decorative accent in the smaller setting. Or, go the other way and make the bathroom an oasis of serenity with light blue-grey walls.

Look at lighting with new eyes: Is there an area that could use more light? A warmer glow? Add a lamp to a table in a dim corner to open up the room and show off the objects on the table. Pendant lights aren’t just for dining areas – a stylish pendant fixture hanging next to the arm of the sofa or guest bed is an object of interest as well as a source of light. In the kitchen, install LED strip lighting under cabinets where work surfaces below could use a little illumination.

For more tips on how to quickly and easily make your house new to you, contact the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga at (423) 624-9992.